Apparatus for removing caked material from a container



Dec. 19, 1967 J. B. ANDERSEN 3,358,935

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING CAKED MATERIAL FROM A CONTAINER Filed June 3,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o o -"6' 0,: o o 0 0 i Z INVENTOR. Ja/l/ 5.A/VQEQSf/V Dec. 19, 1967 'J. B) ANDIYERSEN 3,358,935

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING CAKED MATERIAL FROM A CONTAINER Filed June 5,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet a IW'HII in Q I Q I Q M 5 I Q o INVENTOR.

wcam a United States Patent Delaware Filed June 3, 1965, Ser. No.461,013 2 Claims. (Cl. 239-589) This invention relates to a tool forremoving caked material from a container, and more particularly to anapparatus for removing solid propellant fuel from the cylinders ofrocket engines.

Solid rocket fuels are compounded in liquid form and poured into rocketengine cylinders. In some cases imperfections in the mass of propellantpreclude the use of the loaded cylinder. In addition, the burningcharacteristics of the solid propellant fuel vary with age, consequentlysome that are overage must be discarded. The cylinders are relativelyexpensive, so their reclamation by removal of imperfect propellant isdesirable, allowing them to be refilled with new fuel. Heretofore,available equipment for removing the solid propellant from cylinders hasnot been completely satisfactory because of hazards resulting from theflammable and explosive nature of the material and inadequacy of theequipment. Furthermore, previously available tools have lackedversatility for efiiciently cleaning cylinders of widely varyingdiameters and those with relatively small access openings.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providean apparatus for removing solid fuel or the like from containers such asrocket cylinders, safely and efliciently. In my preferred constructionshown herein, the apparatus uses arms adjustable to varying positionsfor easy access, and various angular relations providing most effectivejetting action by proper combination of nozzle orifice size, distanceand impingement angle.

In accomplishing the present invention, a fluid jet is employed to erodeand cut the propellant material and flush it from the cylinder, anobjective being to provide means for positioning the jet at the optimumdistance from the solid material for most effective removal of thelatter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool for eroding andcutting solid material from rocket engine cylinders which can beadvanced and retracted for ingress and egress and progressive erosion,and rotated for jetting the full circumference of the internal cylindersurfaces.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a solid propellantremoving apparatus with retractible and extendable nozzle-supportingarms to provide easy access through restricted cylinder openings andconvenient adjustment for various cylinder diameters and shapes.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forremoval of solid fuel by fluid action from cylinders, with provision foradjustably varying the angle of impingement of the fluid-jettingnozzles, and for changing nozzles to vary the orifice size for mosteffective erosive action, and for plugging nozzle outlets to concentratethe flow through the remaining nozzles of the spray head.

Another object of this invention is to provide a solid propellantremoving tool with a plurality of spray heads adjustably pivoted to amanifold, and supplied with fluid under pressure through flexible hosesconnected to said manifold.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are realized ina tool for removing caked material from a container. This tool includesa body, an arm pivoted to that body with means for positioning orlocking the arm in 3,358,935 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 ice a selected anglewith the axis of the body, a spray head containing nozzles attached tothe outer end of the arm and pivotally adjustable to a selected angularposition, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the nozzles.In a preferred embodiment, the tool of the invention has two armspivoted to the body with a spray head attached to each arm.

The invention will be described with greater particularity in thefollowing detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one form of apparatus in accordance with theinvention showing the arms in a retracted or closed position desirablefor initial entry into a container for solid fuel and the like;

FIG. 2 is also a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the armsin extended positions;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,and being on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the body manifold taken alongthe line 44 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a spray head taken alongthe line 55 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Like reference characters in the several figures of the drawings and inthe following description designate corresponding parts.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is shown an apparatus according tothe present invention whfch comprises a spindle or body 10, connected bya pipe union 22 to a pipe 24, through which enters the jetting fluidunder pressure from a fluid source (not shown) and to which is attacheda power source (not shown) for driving the tool either rotationally orlongitudinally, or both.

To the body 10 are attached radially oriented fins 20, having a seriesof spaced fin holes 28. The brace 14 is pivotally connected to the arm12 by means of bolt 30 and nut 31, the opposite end of the brace 14being attached to one of the holes 28 in the fin 20 by means of aquick-locking pin 26 held in place by its ball detent 27. The inner endof arm 12 is pivotally attached to lug 13 of body manifold 11 by meansof bolt 32 and nut 33. The outer end of arm 12 is pivotally attached tospray head 16 by means of bolt 34 and nut 35. Fluid under p essure isconducted from the body 10 to the spray head 16 through the hose 2?,which is connected to manifold 11 through fitting 36 and to spray head16 through fitting 37. The jetted fluid is directed against the soldfuel 23 to cut and erode it.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, provision is made for varying the angle ofthe arm 12 and thereby the distance of the spray head 16 from the axisof the body 10 by pivoting the arm 12 about an arc generated by rotatingit about its pivot center, bolt 32. By locking the brace 14 into aforward hole 28 of the fin 20, a large angle, up to or more, between theaxis of the body 19 and the arm 12, is obtained. Conversely, connectingthe brace 14 to a hole 28 farther back on the fin 20, as in FIG. 2,results in a smaller angle, approaching 0, between the axis of the body10 and the arm 12.

Referring to FIG. 5, provision is made for adjusting the angle of thespray head 16 with respect to the arm 12 by rotating it about the pivotbolt 34 and locking it in the desired position by inserting a quick-lockpin 38 through the arm 12 and a selected hole 40 of the spray head 16.The pin 38 is prevented from accidentally coming out by the resistanceof its ball detent 39. To obtain the desired jetting action, nozzles 18of the desired orifice diameters are inserted in the nozzle collars 17,the seals preventing leakage from the spray head 16 around the necks ofthe collars 17. When desired not to use a particular outlet, a plug 19is used in place of a collar 17.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the tool is shown adjusted to its smallestsize, as for entry through a limited size opening in the end of acontainer. This configuration also brings the arms 12 and the sprayheads 16 close in and parallel to the axis of the tool as for an initialboring operation. With nozzles 18 having small orifices and relativelyhigh pressures (for example, 5000 psi. or more), the axial or forwardfluid jets 41 give fast penetration to form an initial small cylindricalhole 43, while the angular jets 42 follow behind the jets 41 to form anenlargement of the cylindrical hole, as in 44.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the tool is adjusted to enlarge the cylindricalcut 44. Adjustment is made to impinge jet 45 at an angle to provide anadvancing conical cut 46 as the tool is rotated and translated, whilejet 47 jets at an impingement angle approximately normal to the conicalcut 46, the intersection of the two angular cuts 46 and 48 thus cuttingoff and freeing the intermediate material 49, allowing it to be ejectedwith the efflux. While this is being accomplished, jet 50 follows in aconical path on a wider arc to complete the erosive cutting out to theinner surface of the cylinder 21. This may require a large orifice inthe nozzle 18 and a reduced pressure in order to avoid any possibleerosion or damage to the cylinder wall 25. This may also be controlledby selection of the proper impingement angle.

By the use of the optimum nozzle orifice sizes, multiple cutting headangles, a cutting pattern with intersecting cuts for breaking up thesolid fuel as the tool is rotated and translated, the material is thusloosened and reduced to particles and pieces which are ejected with theoutflow of spent fluid. The fluid is generally water or rust-inhibitedWater, but may also include chemicals which will provide corrosiveaction in addition to erosion; or gases, such as steam, may be used toeffect the loosening of the material from the container. The fluid, itscomposition, temperature, jet size, location, pressure and impingementangles, may be varied, depending on the material to be removed andcontainer size, shape, and composition. Also adjusted to the inherentconditions of a particular cleaning operation are the traveling speeds,both rotational and longitudinal, of the tool. This, together with thenumber of nozzles and the angles of intersection of intersectingconical, cylindrical, or planar cuts, determines the shape and size ofloosened particle and pieces. Depth of cut is determined primarily bynozzle orifice size, proximity of material to be cut, and pressure.

While it is believed the operation of the apparatus would be apparent toone skilled in the art from the foregoing description, a brief review ispresented. In operation, the tool may be mounted on a carriage (notshown) with which it may be moved into and out of the cylinder 21 androtated, and the body 10 connected through the union 22 and the pipe 24to a fluid pressure source (not shown). A carriage which may be used forthis purpose is shown and described in the copending application of LyleB. Scott, Ser. No. 209,997, filed July 16, 1962, for Method of andApparatus for Removing Solid Propellant, assigned by mesne assignmentsto the assignee of the present application. In the tool of the presentinvention, the arms 12 are retracted to a closed or parallel position asin FIG. 1, the apparatus advanced through the access opening of thecylinder, and the fluid pressure valve (not shown) opened to provide theeroding jets 41 and 42 for the initial cuts 43 and 44 through the solidfuel 23, the tool being advanced and rotated through the cylinder 21 asthe erosion progresses. The pressure valve is then turned off, the toolretracted far enough to adjust the arms 12 for larger diameter cuts asin FIG. 2. The jets 45 and 47 of the spray heads 16 are directed toproduce intersecting cuts 46 and 48, while the jet 50 is adjusted to theproper impingement angle against the inside surface 25 of the cylinder21 for a scouring or surface cleaning action. The cycle is thenrepeated, advancing and rotating the tool while jetting, the erodedmaterial being effluxed with the spent fluid. The valve i closed and thetool is again retracted to the starting position, and the cycle repeateduntil the caked material is all removed.

While one form of the tool has ben shown by illustration, it should beunderstood that various modifications will occur to one skiled in theart. For example, the hoses 29 to the spray heads 16 could be connectedto the pump or pressure source (not shown) through a suitable swivel(not shown), rather than through the body manifold 11 and body 10 asshown and described. Various embodiments of the present invention inaddition to what has been illustrated and described, may be employedwithout departing from the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A tool for removing caked material from a container comprising:

(a) a body having an axis;

(b) first arms pivoted to said body;

(c) means for locking said first arms to said body comprising secondarms attached to said first arms and to said body to provide locking ofsaid first arms in selected angular positions with respect to said axis;

(d) spray heads pivoted to said first arms, each of said spray headshaving nozzles;

(e) means for changing nozzles for varying orifice sizes;

(f) means for locking said spray heads to said first arms in selectedangular positions with respect thereto; and

(g) means for supplying fluid under pressure to said nozzles.

2. A tool for removing caked material from a container comprising:

(a) a body having an axis and peripheral fins;

(b) a manifold attached to said body, said manifold having radial lugsand threaded fittings;

(c) arms pivoted to said manifold lugs;

(d) braces pivoted to said arms;

(e) means for locking said braces to said body fins to hold said arms inselected angular positions with respect to said body axis;

(f) spray heads pivoted to said arms, each of said spray heads havingnozzles;

(g) means for changing nozzles for varying orifice sizes;

(h) means for locking said spray heads to said arms in selected angularpositions thereto;

(i) hoses connecting said threaded manifold fittings to said sprayheads;

(j) said body, said manifold, said hoses, and said spray heads providingfluid conduit means therethrough for supplying fluid under pressure tosaid nozzles from said body; and

(k) means for supplying fluid under pressure to the fluid conduit meansin said body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 636,598 11/1899 Weston et al.239-556 2,245,554 6/1941 Court.

FOREIGN PATENTS 62,686 9/1944 Denmark. 1,358,860 3/1964 France.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. BLEUTGE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A TOOL FOR REMOVING CAKED MATERIAL FROM A CONTAINER COMPRISING: (A) ABODY HAVING AN AXIS; (B) FIRST ARMS PIVOTED SAID FIRST ARMS TO SAID BODY(C) MEANS FOR SECOND ARMS ATTACHED TO SAID FIRT ARMS COMPRISING SECONDARMS ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST ARMS AND TO SAID BODY TO PROVIDE LOCKING OFSAID FIRST ARMS IN SELECTED ANGULAR POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID AXIS;(D) SPRAY HEADS PIVOTED TO SAID FIRST ARMS, EACH OF SAID SPRAY HEADSHAVING NOZZLES; (E) MEANS FOR CHANGING NOZZLES FOR VARYING ORIFICESIZES; (F) MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID SPRAY HEADS TO SAID FIRST ARMS INSELECTED ANGULAR POSITIONS WITH RESPECT THERETO; AND (G) MEANS FORSUPPLYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID NOZZLES.